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My First Quilt

I follow a fair number of blogs, when I have the chance, and I love to check out WordPress’ ‘Tag Surfer’, which allows me to find new blogs to read, too. Over the time I’ve been blogging, I’ve noted many, many, many blog posts entitled something similar to “My First Quilt”. I love looking at the photos that accompany the posts, and it’s always fun to share in the excitement of someone’s accomplishment of creating that first quilt. I always hope that the quilter enjoyed herself so much that she joins the Sisterhood of Quilters, and moves on to bigger and better projects!

Do you remember your first quilt? Do you still own it? Some of us are terribly embarrassed by that first attempt at piecing – I know I was! And others seem to have the gift of quilting – the first quilt they make is better than any quilt I’ve ever attempted. I’m envious of these talented people, but they help to encourage me to continue to improve my skills. Someday, I think, I’ll be as good as they are.

I recently dug out my first quilt – yes, I do still have it – to see just how far I’ve come over the years. I started quilting in 1994, I had just moved into a new place, and needed to do some decorating. I wanted a throw for my bed that matched the decor in the room. I used what I had for fabrics, including poly-cotton! I have no recollection of what I used for batting, but it was likely an old blanket. I’m pretty sure I used polyester thread too. I didn’t have a walking foot for my sewing machine. I didn’t take a quilting class or buy a book to learn how to quilt. I figured, I had sewing experience, what else did I need to know??!!

Turns out a lot. If I knew then what I know now! That quilt would have turned out much better – it would lay flatter and straighter. Today I know more about fabric choices, colour choices, batting, thread, and binding. I’ve taken classes and I’ve learned how to use a rotary cutter, and discovered better basting and quilting techniques so that my backing isn’t all folded and puckered when I’m finished quilting. And I now know how to attach a binding. In fact, I now know several different methods to attach binding.

But my first quilt serves to remind me that nothing has to be perfect to be enjoyed. And that there is always room for improvement. And when I showed my first quilt to some quilting friends the other day, we had a good laugh at it. So, I’ve also learned you can laugh at your own mistakes.

Great quillow Michele!! I too made one of those, but it was after I’d actually figured out how to quilt, and I actually followed a pattern too! I gave it to a friend of my step-daughter’s – he loves that he can tuck his feet into the pocket to keep them warm!

I think your first quilt looks very nice! Yep, still have mine too. There are 2 things I see when I look at it (& it is now being used in our RV – condition remains good) First – the colors – yikes! When it was made in 1987, the few quilt shops that were around had a limited palette to choose from and most fabrics seem to have those nasty pin dots! The 2nd thing I see is – I actually hand quilted the entire thing and it is queen size…my handquilting was sooooo much better back then…tiny stitches and fairly even. Now my eyes and hands are 67 years old and I have lost a lot of that flexibility.
You opened with a great question and it is fun to read everyone’s reaction. Thanks for sharing & it is great to see another quilt blogger from WordPress – I think we are slightly outnumbered by Blogger! I just wish WordPress would offer some more whimsical Themes.

That’s a beautiful quilt, Heather, and it looks well loved.
Speaking of discovering blogs…I was doing the same and came across this one. Thought you might like to see this blogger’s list of favourite quilt magazines, and the one that’s on the top:http://bumbleknit.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-fav-mags.html

Hi Heather,
Glad you liked my blogpost. I have the last few issues although I missed the premiere issue. I do love the mag. I love that all our wonderful Canadian quilters and their quilts are showcased. We have some very awesome quilters.